The world's most popular search engine Google gives the best tool to predict the onset of influenza pandemic, say scientists.

Launched in 2008, Google's clinical surveillance tool called 'Flu Trends' provides the most accurate reading of a probable outbreak of influenza, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins, Baltimore.

Local healthcare authorities can use the Information on influenza available at Google Flu Trends to be on guard against the respiratory disease that claims many lives worldwide every year, the researchers note, saying that Internet can churn out updated data on not just flu treatment, but also on the latest search trends on the disease.

Instead of waiting for public health reports, healthcare staff at various hospitals in flu-prone areas can have instant access to Google Flu Trends and get prepared to tackle a sudden rise in flu patients seeking admission, the experts note. According to lead researcher Richard Rothman, dependence on government health reports on influenza often delays flu treatment in a real-time scenario.

Published in Clinical Infectious Diseases journal, the study report is validated by a survey that spanned over 21 months. The basic objective of the researchers was to find a link between flu-related queries on the Internet and the subsequent surge in the number of people seeking hospital care with influenza-like symptoms. 121doc learns that the study authors monitored and analysed Internet traffic data coming to Google Flu Trends from January 2009 to October 2010.